Convertible automobile-body



W. L. CARTER.

CUNVERTXBLE AUTOMUBlLE BODY.

APPLICATION man APR.25. 1911.

1,343,655. atented June 15, 1920.

W a/lrzvz'sszzs, [2y 7 INuENToR,

WALTER L. CARTER, OF

ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA.

CONVERTIBLE AUTOMOBILE-BODY.

Application med April 25,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, War/nun L. Gamma citizen of the United States rcsiding at Ontario, in the county of San Bernardino and State of California, have invented new and useful Convertible Automobi1e=Bodies, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automobile bodies and particularly to a convertible tonneau which may be used in connection with the usual roadster type of bodies'for converting such bodies from two assen or to four pas senger bodies. Boa ster bodies usually have what is known as turtle backs, which in some cases are built into the bodies permanently, and in other cases are -detachable therefrom. M improved tonneau is designed for use wit the latter class of bodies and is arranged so that the ori 'nal hack may be removed on occasion an the convertible buck substituted therefor. The design of the body is such that, it may be permanently carried on the flat extended rear portion of the usual-body in place of the turtle back, or, only ocoasii'mo.llysubstituted therefor.

An object of this invention is to. provide means for rigidly attaching the im roved back to the rear portion of the usua body so that it may be converted from use as a mere back for the body to a passenger carrying tonneau or vice versa, at will, without removal from the vehicle, and with the minimum amount of efiortand in the quickest time ssible.

A further 0 ject is to provide means for substantially braoin the improved tonneau to the main body o the vehicle and for inclosing the tonncau with doors which may he swung inwardly and outwardl ,the doors being capable oi being folde inwardly against the front of theseststructure when not in use, in order to permit the turning of the back downwardly on to the rear platform. Other objects may appear as the de scription progresses.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a well known type of auto; mobile showing my improved detachable back in position thereon in readiness for use for increasing the 'Passen er carrying capacity of the vehicle. a. fragmentary plan of the body shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 1s a rear elevation of Pi 2. F 4 is a fra mentary elevation of Hg. 1 showing the hack in closed position. ig. 5 is a Specification o1 Letters l'atent.

-is of substantia form 2, a seat 4 which is built into the ele-' Patented J "110 15, 1920. 1917. Serial no. 165,837.

transverse sectional elevation-of the seat and rear lportion of the back. FigJflis a see tlona plan of the doorconnections and h nged su ports, and Fig.7 is a perspective view OflBlG doorhinges.

Similar characters of reference are emplo ed in the several views of the drawings out throughout the specifications for indiun ting the same or like arts.

lhe maln bocly l usua ly has an extended rear platform 2 to which is attached the re movable backs hereiuhefore mentioned and l provide, in lieu of the ordinary form of back, a structure which is somewhat long er and of difl'crent form than the usual bums, but which may be used, as stated, for the same purpose, but additionull for carrying two additional passengers. ah'is structure comprises the taperedreur portion 3 which ly the width of the platment 3 and extends across the "entire width thereof, and a pair of sidedoo'rs 5 which are hinged tot-he sides Gof the member 3, for closing theopenings between thememher- 3 and the rear end off-the main body 1.

The doors are hingedly connected to the sides of the member 3 by means of the double acting hinges shown in Fig. 7 and comprise the right angularly 'formed me'm hers 7' capable of being suitably attached to the rear edges of the doors, the intermediate leaf members 8 pivoted thereto by means of the bolts or gigs 9, and the fiat members 10 which may suitably attached to the sides 6 of the member 3 as shown in Fi 6 and 7, the members .10 bein hinged to t e members 8 by means of bofis or pins 11. his obvious that when the doors are swung outwardly of the body into the position shown inbroken lines in, Fig. 6 the bin e pin 9 will serve as a pivot therefor and t e member 8 will rest against the member 10. On the other hand,' when the doors are swung inwardly into positions paralleling the front member 12 of the at structure, the heels of the hingemembers Twill rest against the bear -18 of the members 8 and 10 and the bol s -11 will serveas ivots" for the doors. The hin are suitab y rocessed in the sides. of file member-f3 and suitable slots are provided in :the sides to permit the movement of thehiiige'membem therethrough. Ordinary locks 14 may be rovided on the doors, as shown in 2 r holding the doors closed and sockets or fixtures may be provided on the rear of the main body 1 to receive the latch bolts. As any form of latch may be used for this purpose I do not show any particular means of locking the doors.

A pair or more of brackets 15 may besuitably attached to the platform 2, as shown in Figs. 3 andfi, for ho ding the back member 3 pivotally on the plat-form, a rod 16 being providedwhich extends entirely across the body, through the brackets and the sides of the back for this purpose. shonldbe preferably mounted at pointsbetween the sides of the member 3 so that they may be inclosed thereby and thus prevent -A pair of straps of equal length, as at l7 and 18, are provided for bracing theback 3 in raisedpos-ition on the platform 2. These straps are pivoted on pins or bolts to the rear side of the back and when not in use may be attached together in horizontal positions, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 3. The straps may berigidly secured to the platform 2 by means of bolts 19 and wing nuts 20, as shown, or otherwise.

In some types of automobile bodies it may be necessary, on account of the inclination of the rear end of thebo'dy to provide filling pieces 21, as shown in Figs 1 and l so as to provides. vertical face or abutment for the door-s5. The hinge rod 16 may be provided with cap nuts 22 at the ends, so that when the back is attached or detached from the platform, the placement or. removal of the LIOdflllCl nuts may be quickly accomplished.

I The sides of the back member 3 areextended forward of thesea'ts for a distance equal, approximately, to the width of the doors 5 in order that when the doors are The brackets be used for the storage of tools or implementsandaccess thereto maybehad through the seator at. other suitable points.v

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim, 1s':-,- v r The combination with a. main vehicle body havingav platform extending rearwardly therefrom, of a seat pivotally supportedon the rear end ofsaid platform, and havingvertical edges the sides adapted to fold against the upper. surface of the platform when the seat isrlosed, and to rest substantially at rigl'it'angles to said platform when the seat is opened, vertical filling strips attached to the rear of the-bodywopposite the edges of said seats, openings being formed between said filling strips and said seats when the seat is opened, and doors hinged to the sidcsof said seats and adapted to span saidopenings when in position for use, and to fold inwardly against the front edge 0| said seat when the seat is. closed,

Signed at Los Angeles, in the county of Los- Angeles and State of Galifo1nia,'lthis j- 27 .day offalanuary, 1917;

. W L R-EL. CARTER.

Witnessesz- C. O.J:LLBRIGHT,'

LUrIsnn-L. MACK,

Cil 

